A city worth taking your time for.
Palma is a city best discovered on foot. Behind its grand façades, you will find quiet corners, traditional bakeries, independent shops and streets that invite you to take the longer way around. With Glòria as your starting point, these two walks bring together some of our favourite places in the city. Follow them from beginning to end, choose the stops that catch your eye or simply see where the day takes you.
Two days. Two walks. Both begin and end at Glòria. Explore at your own pace.
Hidden passages, Modernist architecture, traditional pastries and centuries of history, all within a walk from Glòria.
Explore day one →
Local flavours in the morning, independent shops and historic interiors along the way, and a different perspective on Palma through its art.
Explore day two →
“Every street in Palma has a story.”
Begin with breakfast at El Patio de Glòria. When you are ready to explore, step outside onto Carrer de Sant Jaume. Some of Palma’s most fascinating streets are just moments from the hotel. Today, there is no need for a car, and no reason to rush.
Just around the corner from Glòria, discover Carrer de la Sagristia de Sant Jaume, a tiny passage tucked alongside the church. If its gates are open, slip through and continue towards CaixaForum Palma. Housed in the former Gran Hotel, the building is a striking example of Palma’s Modernist architecture. Pause to admire its decorative façade and step inside if an exhibition catches your eye.
Across Plaça de Weyler, the historic Forn des Teatre is impossible to overlook. Admire its beautiful wooden shopfront, then step into Fornet de la Soca to discover traditional Mallorcan baking and local specialities.
Continue towards Plaça Major, taking time to admire Can Forteza Rey and the neighbouring El Àguila building. Their richly decorated façades reveal a playful side of Palma’s architecture. Nearby, Can Corbella offers another reason to look above the shop windows before you leave the busy streets behind and continue into the old town.
Around the old town, some of Palma’s most memorable discoveries are found behind the doors of its traditional shops. Look out for La Industrial, a toy shop full of character, and La Pajarita, known for its chocolates and confectionery. Nearby, Colmado La Montaña offers a taste of Mallorca through its local specialities. These are optional discoveries along the walk: step inside whichever catches your eye.
Seek out the historic Can Joan de s’Aigo on Carrer de Can Sanç and settle in for a little taste of tradition. Choose an ensaimada, try a quarto or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. It is a lovely place to slow down before continuing towards the monumental heart of the city.
Make your way towards Plaça de Cort, home to Palma’s Town Hall and its much-loved old olive tree. Continue through the surrounding streets towards Santa Eulàlia and Sant Francesc. Here, shopping streets give way to stone façades, historic churches and quieter corners. Look for the details: an arch, an unexpected doorway or a courtyard glimpsed through an open entrance.
If you would like to discover another of Palma’s traditional crafts, look out for Vidrierías Gordiola as you explore the streets around Cort. Its handcrafted glass offers a different perspective on the island’s creative heritage.
Continue to the Banys Àrabs, a surviving reminder of Palma’s Islamic past. Their intimate setting offers a quiet contrast to the grand monuments nearby. From here, make your way to La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and take time to appreciate its extraordinary setting. The neighbouring Palau de l’Almudaina adds another chapter to the city’s history. Visit the interiors if you wish, but leave yourself time simply to enjoy the streets between them.
A little more time? Museu de Mallorca is close to this part of the walk if you would like to explore the island’s history in more depth.
Pass by the Palau de l’Almudaina and S’Hort del Rei before making your way to Passeig del Born. Take your time along this elegant, tree-lined promenade, with its beautiful buildings, boutiques and cafés. From here, turn towards Carrer de Sant Jaume. In just a few moments, you will find yourself back at Glòria, right where your day began.
Back at Glòria. Perhaps it is time for a quiet moment at the hotel, a drink at El Patio or dinner with musical accompaniment on an evening when it is scheduled.
Check the market’s opening days before setting off. If your second day falls on a day when it is closed, consider swapping the two walks.
Start your second day at Glòria and make your way towards Mercat de l’Olivar. Wander between stalls of fresh produce, fish, cheeses and local specialities, and take a moment to observe the rhythm of everyday Palma. Stop for a bite if you feel like it, or simply enjoy exploring before continuing your walk.
Beyond Palma’s familiar shopping streets, discover the independent businesses that have helped shape the city’s character. Take a detour towards Carrer del Sindicat to browse the hats at Casa Julià, then continue to Mimbrería Vidal for woven baskets and natural fibres. Both are optional stops that celebrate traditional craftsmanship. Return towards La Rambla to continue the walk.
Leave the market and traditional shopping streets behind and wander towards La Rambla, a tree-lined promenade with a different rhythm from the narrow streets of the old town. Continue to Can Balaguer, a historic house where architecture, interiors and cultural life offer a glimpse into another side of Palma. Step inside if it is open, or simply enjoy the walk through the surrounding streets.
As you make your way towards Jaume III, look out for Forn Fondo, a traditional bakery with a beautiful Modernist façade. Pause for a closer look, and step inside if it is open.
Continue towards Avinguda Jaume III, one of Palma’s best-known shopping streets. Its arcades and architecture make it enjoyable even if you are not planning to buy anything. Browse the shops, stop for a coffee or take a detour into one of the smaller streets nearby.
Make your way to Carrer de Sant Feliu and step into Rialto Living. Set within a historic building, this distinctive store brings together fashion, interiors, art and design. Browse without a particular purpose, then explore the surrounding streets, where galleries, independent shops and beautiful façades offer reasons to linger.
Continue towards La Llotja, one of Palma’s most remarkable Gothic buildings. Its exterior is impressive in its own right. If the interior is open, step inside to admire the soaring columns and extraordinary sense of space. The surrounding neighbourhood is equally inviting, with narrow streets, galleries and places to pause.
From La Llotja, continue to Es Baluard, Palma’s museum of contemporary art. Set within the city’s historic defensive walls, it brings together art, architecture and views across Palma. Explore the exhibitions if you have time, or enjoy the setting and its contrast between old stone and contemporary design. It is a fitting final cultural stop in a city that is still creating new stories.
Make your way back through the centre towards Carrer de Sant Jaume. Perhaps you discovered a shop you would like to revisit, a gallery you want to explore further or a café where you would happily spend another hour. There is no need to fit everything into two days. Palma will still be here tomorrow, and Glòria will be here to welcome you back.
Follow the streets that catch your eye, stay a little longer somewhere you love and make room for the unexpected. However you choose to spend your time in Palma, Glòria is here to welcome you back.
